Automatic means for blowing up engines



Oct. 25, 1932. c. w. PLOEN AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR BLOWING UP ENGINES Filed July 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 25, 1932. c, w, LO 1,884,205

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR BLOWING UP ENGINES Filed July 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES CURTIS W. PLOEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

PATENT OFFICE,

ASSIGNOR TO THE OKADEE COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC ,MEANS FOR BLOWING UP ENGINES.

Application filed July 5, 1928. Serial No. 290,434.

. 1o plied to a steam locomotive boiler, it will be appreciated that the invention may be utilized for other analogous purposes and therefore finds a wide field of utility.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that steam locomotives, when stored in the round house, have the fires either drawn or banked, and that when the locomotive is again required for use, the fire must be started and careful treatment of the fire gotten up. This necessarily is a tedious operation, requires considerable time, and is uneconomical.

My invention has as its principal objects the provision of an improved apparatus for creating a draft in steam boilers, more particularly locomotive boilers; the provision of an improved apparatus which may be conveniently and easily attached in operative position on locomotives and other steam boilers for the purpose of artificially causing a draft, and, more especially, for blowing up the locomotive; the provision of an improved apparatus which will automatically start the artificial draft of the locomotive when a predetermined steam pressure is reached in the boiler; the'provision of animproved apparatus which may be attached as a unit to the smoke box of a locomotive boiler and to the draft for automatically causing the discharge of fluid under pressure into the smoke stack for creating a draft; the provision of an improved valve structure for installation on a boiler and for connection to the blower mechanism and to an auxiliary supply of fluid by the attendant must ensue until steam is under pressure for blowing up the locomotive; and the provision of an improved valve structure including differentially pressure operated portions whereby the time of operation of the device may be predetermined; and the provision of a device of the character referred to which has a unit structure, simple in construction and easily and with small expense applied in position on the locomotive.

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or be pointed out as this description proceeds are attained in the structural embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: s

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a locomotive and the device of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device of this invention.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 47-4: of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

V Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, there is illustrated the boiler 5' of a steamlocomotive having the usual smoke box 6 and stack 7 Those familiar with the art will understand that a blower is installed in the smoke boX and usually is applied in the smoke box to discharge steam from the boiler under manual control through the smoke stack for creating artificial draft. The blower, of course, operates freely when steam is up in the locomotive boiler but when the engine is dead in the engine or round house and it is desired to get up steam,I find it desirable that an outside source of fluid under pressure be applied for this purpose. However, this is usually inconvenient, and the the shell 6 of the smoke box.

present invention includes an automatic valve device connected into the blower system whereby a supply of auxiliary air or steam may be delivered into the smoke box blower pipe and when a predetermined steam pressure is generated in the boiler, the auxiliary supply is automatically cut off.

To this end, I provide in the round house a steam header 8 connected to a suitable source of steam or air supply and arranged with a number of downwardly extending outlet pipes which may be arranged alongside of each of the tracks in the round house.

These downwardly extending pipes are designated 9 and include a valve 10 controlled by an elongated valve stem 11 for controlling the supply of auxiliary fluid pressure. The pipe 9 is provided with a laterally inclined portion 12 and an annularlyadjustable portion 13 connected to the pipe 12 by a suitable universal fluid tight joint 14. The end of the pipe 13 is provided with any convenient pipe coupling, generally indicated. at 15, and con nected to the device 16 of this invention in the manner hereinafter described, this device 16 being mounted on the smoke box of the locomotive as a permanent accessory thereto.

The device shown at 16 in Figure 1 is shown in detail in Figures 2 to 5 and includes a casing 17 some-what elongated and provided, at its medial portion, with an enlarged laterally extending chamber 18. formed with an ex- .ternal flange 19, said flange 19 having elongated portions 20, 20 apertured, as at 21, 21, for securement by bolts, rivets, or the like, to The chamber 18 has a threaded exhaust opening 22 and thus forms an outlet from the casing-l7, the opening 22 being adapted, if desired, to receive a fluid nozzle 23 which may extend into the smoke box and be directed upwardly into the stack 7 for creating a draft when fluid issues from the pipe 23.

The outlet 18 is common to two inlets formed in the casing 17, one of these inlets being generally indicated at 24 and the other at 25. The inlet 24 is formed by a laterally directed portion 26 of the casing 17, said portion 26 having a threaded opening 27 to which may be connected part of the detachable coupling 15 or the coupling 15 may have a threaded pipe section movable relatively thereto for threaded engagement with the opening 27.

The other inlet member 25 is preferably removable from the casing 17 and, therefore, includes a plug member having a passageway 28, the plug or inlet member 25 being threaded, as at 29, into the enlarged portion 30 of the casing 17. The member 25 is further provided with threads 31 on the opening 28 for connecting the blower pipe 32 thereto. The blower pipe 32 extends to the boiler of the locomotive, and flow of fluid in said blower pipe is controlled by a manually operated valve in the cab of the locomotive in the usual manner.

The inlet member 25 is provided with a plurality of radial lugs 33 which serve to limit the movement of the valve member in one direction so that it cannot lock itself at one end of the casing in operation, as will hereinafter appear.

Upon an inspection of Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be observed that the casing 17 has a contour which afl'ords coaxial bores 34 and 35 of different diameters adapted to receive the slidable valve member 36, which latter has a piston portion 37 which fits the bore 34 and another portion 38 which fits the bore 35. The valve 36 is preferably hollow, more particularly for lightening the structure thereof, and the portions 37 and 38 are provided with suitable packing rings 39 and 40.

The enlarged end of the valve 36 is presented toward the pipe 32 which leads from the boiler and the small end of said valve, that is, the portion 37, is presented toward the inlet 24.

The exhaust or outlet chamber 18 is common to both of the inlets 24 and 25 by the proportion 43 formed by the presence of the bores 34 and 35 and the passageways 41 and 42 will not be weakened, I provide a series of transverse webs 44 and 45 in the passageways 41 and 42 for assisting in supporting the portion 43.

'A suitable drain opening 46 may be provided, closed by a threaded plug 47 for an obvious purpose.

It will be observed that the face of the valve formed by the piston portion 38 and the hollow construction of the valve affords a surface of contact with fluid pressure greater than that afforded by the end face 39a of the valve, this being so arranged that upon the establishment of a predetermined pressure in the boiler, and, of course, in the pipe 32,

the pressure from the auxiliary supply maintaining the valve in a right hand position as viewed in Figure 3, will be overcome, thus moving the valve to the left and automatically shutting off the auxiliary fluid supply and thereby allowing the fluid to escape from the pipe 32 through the passageway 42, chamber 18 and into the nozzle 23.

In the operation of the device when the locomotive has steam up and the manually operated valve in the cab is opened, fluid un der pressure in the pipe 32 will force the valve over to the position shown in Figure 3 where it will remain normal while the locomotive is in use and the blower is operated in the normal way.

However, when the locomotive is in the round house and the fire is down or drawn completely and it is desired to blow the 'fire, the auxiliary supply of fluid underpr'essure is connected to the inlet 24 which forces the valve over to a right hand position, that is, the passageway or bore 41 is opened and the passagewayAQ is closed, and fluid under pressure thus passes into the stack through the pipe 23. As soon as the boiler has generated steam in the amount of about fifty pounds to the square inch (the manually operated valve in the cab being left open) the locomotive will then be ready for further steaming in the usual way. The arrange ment of these devices on locomotives will permit the engine house attendant to connect a number of locomotives up for steaming and will allow him to handle a greater number of locomotives in the same length of time and as well will prevent needless use of steam or air from the auxiliary supply because the device operates as soon as the locomotive itself is able to blow its own fire up.

The projections 33 on the member 25 engage the annular end surface of the enlarged portion 38 of the valve and prevent its seating against the plug 25 which might cause it to stick and refuse to open. Furthermore, this arrangement affords an annular recess into which the steam from the boiler may pass to act upon the annular end surface of the enlargement 38 and thus gain the necessary surface contact to overcome the pressure from the auxiliary supply at the proper time.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a boiler, and arsupply of fluid under pressure for operating said draft means, and a differential pressure operated means for rendering said auxiliary supply of fluid inoperative upon a predeter mined pressure less than that of said auxiliary supply being developed in the boiler and means for preventing at all times any communication between said auxiliary supply of fluid under pressure and said boiler.

2. A differential pressure operated valve including a casing having opposed inlets and a common outlet, and a shiftable valve for closing either of said inlets having relative ly different sizes of pressure engaging faces.

3. The combination with a locomotive boiler, of a valve casing mounted thereon and necting one of said inletsto an outside source of fluid pressure, an outlet common to both ternal fluid supply. having separate fluidinlets, means for con-.

inlets and discharging into the draft passageway of the boiler, a valve for controlling both inlets, a connection from one inlet to the steamspace of the boiler, said valve having an extending portion exposed and responsive to pressure in the boiler and serving to automatically close the inlet to the outside source when a predetermined fluid pressure is built up in the boiler, below that of said outside source,and said valve having a portion excluding pressure from said boiler steam space when open to said outside source. I

4. A differential pressure operated valve including a casing having oppositely located inlets and a common outlet, a valve controlling flow alternately from said inlets to said outlet, said valve having pressure engaging "faces of different areas exposed to said inlets. 5. A differential pressure operated valve including a casing having oppositely located inlets and a common outlet, a sliding valve controllingflow alternately from said inlets to said outlet, said valve having pressure engaging faces of different areas exposed to said inlets.

6. A differential pressure operated valve including a casing having oppositely located inlets and complemental coaxial bores of different dimensions communicating with.

-n1otiveboiler and an external supplyof fluid under pressure, a valve for permitting'the passage of fluid under pressure through the casing from the externalsupply but excluding such external fluid'from the locomotive b 'l d bl b th t tificial draft means therefor, of an auxlllary 01 an means Opera 6 y e S 6am Pres sure from the locomotive to close and hold the valve against opening when the locomoranged to have communication with the locomotive. boiler and an external supply ofcfiuid under pressure, a valve for permitting the passage of fluid under pressure through the casing from the external supply, means on said valve member for excluding suchv external fluid from the locomotive boiler, and

means operable by the steam pressure from 7 'thelocomotive to close and hold the valve against opening when the locomotive boiler pressure exceeds the pressure from the exceive fluid under pressure from a suitable supply and the other communicating with a locomotive boiler, a valve controlling the passage of fluid from the supply of fluid under pressure and normally permitting the fluid to ass through theoutlet, means for excluding uid from said external supply from entrance into the locomotive boiler, a pressure chamber communicatin wlth the casing and locomotive boller, and pressure actuated valve seating means in the pressure chamber normally rendered inoperative by the fluid pressure from the suitable fluid supply and actuated to seatthc valve and cut off such fluid supply in response to steam pressure in the locomotive boiler When the latter pressure is sufflcient to overcome the normal fluid pressure passing through the casing.

10. In a blow oil valve for'locomotives, a casing having a common outlet for communication with the smoke stack of a locomotive, and a pair of inlets, one inlet communicating with the locomotive boiler, the other communicating with a source of external fluid pressigned my name.

CURTIS W. PLOEN.

sure, a valve controlling one inlet, and also 7 controlling communication between the smoke stack and the boiler of the locomotive, and said valve having a pressure responsive portion for moving the valve to closed position to cut of? the pressure supply from the external source when the steam in the boiler has reached alpredetermined pressure, and means for conductlng the steam from the boiler to the stack after the valve has been actuated to closed position.

11. The combination with a locomotive, of a valve casing supported thereon having a single outlet communicating with the locomotive smoke box and a pair of independent inlets, one of which having communication with the locomotive steam supply and the other arranged to be connected with an external source of fluid under pressure to create a force draft in the smoke box to initially steam V the locomotive, but excluding fluid from said external source from communication with the locomotive boiler, and means automatically operable by the locomotives own steam pressure to cut oil the fluid supply from the external source.

12. In a steam locomotive a blower connected to the locomotive steam boiler for creatinga forced draft, a connection for connecting an outside source of fluid under pressure to the blower when building a fire and before the locomotive has steam up, means for excluding said outside fluid from the boiler. and means for automatically shutting off the flow of fluid from said outside source in response to the steam pressure in the locomotive when such pressure has been raised to "a predetermined pressure lower than said outside source. V I

13. In a valve responsive to differential fluid pressures, in combination, a casing having two independent inlets communicating,

respectively, with co-axial pressure chambers 

